The Pittsylvania County School Board
recognizes that its employees are the most valuable
resource to the organization. Furthermore, the Board
acknowledges that during these difficult economic times
the employees have remained devoted, committed and
dedicated to educating and serving the students of
Pittsylvania County to the best of their ability.
Employees of the school system are currently into the
fourth year without having received any percentage raise
or step increase in salary. This has created a financial
hardship on the staff. On Thursday, October 27, 2011, the
Pittsylvania County School Board voted to provide a
one-time bonus to all employees utilizing the following
formulas:

Full-time employees (1172 -
participating in the Virginia Retirement System) with
an employment date prior to July 1, 2011, will receive an
$800 bonus in their
November check

Part-time employees (258 – not
eligible for the Virginia Retirement System)
hired prior to July 1, 2011, will receive a $400 bonus
in their November check

Full-time employees (39 -
participating in the Virginia Retirement System)
hired after July 1, 2011, and before November 1, 2011,
will receive a $400 bonus in their November check

Part-time employees (9 - not eligible
for the Virginia Retirement System)
hired after July 1, 2011, and before November 1, 2011,
will receive a $200
bonus in their November check

Note: Individuals hired after November 1, 2011, will
not be eligible to receive a bonus.

Please take time to acknowledge the action taken by the
School Board on behalf of its employees.

Mr. J. Samuel Burton, Chairman
(Chatham/Blairs District)

Dr. Charles H. Miller, Jr., Vice-Chairman
(Banister District)

Mr. Calvin D. Doss
(Gretna/Callands District)

Mr. Don C. Moon
(Staunton River District)

Mr. W. Neal Oakes
(Dan River District)

Mr. R. Todd Sanders
(Westover District)

Mr. Morris C. Stowe
(Tunstall District)

The Board takes seriously their responsibility to manage
and control funds made available for the organization.
Indeed, we are fortunate that during difficult economic
times the Board stays committed to making
Pittsylvania County Schools A Great A Place to Learn and
Work!

Students will be dismissed at 1:00 p.m. on Friday,
November 4, 2011. Building and district level
administrators are reminded that the remainder of the day
is designated as a Teacher Workday. Teachers will use this
time to plan, consult, grade papers, prepare bulletin
boards, finalize grades, etc. Please be reminded that all
teacher aides and full-time nurses work a full day.

In 2011-2012, two prizes of $25,000.00 will be available
from the McGlothlin Foundation to award a Kindergarten
through 5th grade public school teacher and a middle/high
school public school teacher who each excel in their
fields. This award is intended to recognize innovative
full-time classroom teachers with at least five years of
experience from core curriculum areas who have not
previously won major awards in education. It is my
understanding that $10,000 of the award money is to be
used, within a year, for international travel to broaden
the thinking and experience of the winning teachers.
Should you desire more information, please click on this
link.
http://www.blueridgepbs.org/images/mcglothlin_awards/McGlothlinBrochure.pdf

Please join me in congratulatingMr. Jacob
Gruse, Business Instructorat Dan River High
School, on his selection as Pittsylvania County
Schools’ Employee of the Week. Please click on
the following link to find out what our
employees do to make this A Great Place to Learn
and Work!

The
2011-2012 HOSA (Health Occupations Student
Association Club) officers have been
elected! The Club’s mission, Helping Hands,
Helping Others, was evident when the newly
elected HOSA officers held a school-wide 9/11
presentation. The power point showed a powerful
video clip and interesting facts. A candle was
lit in memory for each flight and the lives that
were lost. Special guests attending were members
of the Blairs and Mt. Hermon Volunteer Fire
Departments, JROTC members, representatives from
the Central Office and civil servants from the
Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Department. To
show support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month,
HOSA members held a school-wide Pink-Out on
October 28, 2011. Informational posters were
placed throughout the building for students and
staff to read about cancer facts and statistics.
Also, members of HOSA plan to support our area
veterans by marching in the Veterans Day Parade
on November 6, 2011. It is my understanding that
the HOSA creed suggests that students using the
knowledge and skills they have learned in the
Health Occupations program will propel them on
the pathway to becoming responsible citizens.

Recently, eleven (11) members of the Gretna
Harriers Running Club (Gretna Middle School),
participated in the 15th annual Chatham 5k/1
mile race. The following are the results:

The mixed team of Cole Worley, Hunter Cline,
Dylan Cline, Walker Cline, and Tabitha Patterson
won the mixed team category.

Tabitha Patterson was the 3rd female overall in
the 5k race. Cole Worley was 2nd in the boy's 14
and under category, and Hunter Cline was 3rd in
14 and under division.

Sophia Short was 1st in the girl's 14 and under
category. Dylan and Walker Cline provided solid
team support with 24 minute finishes. Cory and
Sean Hammock also had strong finishes in their
first 5k race experience.

In the one mile race Nathan Rowland finished 3rd
overall (2nd in the boys’ overall race) with an
eight (8) minute run. Jayla Davis finished 3rd
in the girls’ 13 and under division. Eric
Anderson also had a strong finish in his first
one mile race.

All of these students have demonstrated great
enthusiasm, sportsmanship and a solid work ethic
during the last two months of preparation.
Accolades to Ms. Julie East, 7th grade science
teacher, who has provided invaluable assistance
with the club, including designing and
coordinating the purchase of the Gretna blue and
gold Harriers shirts. Also, special thanks to
former Gretna High School track coach, Wayne
Owen, for his guidance and assistance.

Recently, National School Lunch Week was
observed at
Kentuck Elementary School. The theme,
Let’s Grow Healthy, inspired nearly 150
parents to eat with their children during the
week. Students learned where food comes from and
that school lunch helps kids grow strong and
healthy. Special thanks are extended to the
cafeteria staff for making this event exciting
and enjoyable for the students, parents and
faculty. Also, the students and staff at
Gretna Middle School enjoyed watermelons,
grape tomatoes, cabbage and apples all grown in
the Hillsville and Martinsville, Virginia areas.
There were daily prizes, and Miss Amber Short,
6th grade student, sang "American Honey" as part
of the festivities.

Congratulations to Read Your Way to the Top
winners! Each will receive a ticket to the race
this weekend in Martinsville, Virginia. Blake
Dalton, Jr., in Ms. Megan Lackey’s class from
Southside Elementary School, will participate in
the Kroger 200 Pre Race. Ms. Jamie Yancey’s
class from Kentuck Elementary School will lead
fans in the Pledge of Allegiance for the Kroger
200 on Saturday, October 29, 2011. Finally, Ms.
Amy Lovern’s class at Stony Mill Elementary
School will have a pizza party held at the race
track.

During the month of October, thirty-five (35) of
our bus drivers and aides were certified in
American Heart CPR/AED. Kudos go out to these
people who volunteered their time to be better
prepared to care for their daily charges.
Special thanks go to Ms. Debbie Shelton,
Executive Administrative Assistant for Pupil
Transportation, for arranging the classes for
the drivers and aides.

Ms. Julia Lovelace's grade 5 science classes at
Hurt Elementary School recently made musical
instruments to test how sound vibrated on
surfaces, strings, or columns of air. They also
experimented with pitch by making instruments
using straws. This was also reinforced in music
class taught by Ms. Cassandra Westbrook.

Visit
http://www.pcs.k12.va.us/media/index.html to
(1) request media presence on site to cover an
upcoming event or (2) to request media coverage
(without media on site) of an upcoming event or
(3) to report news from a past event. Thank you
for identifying the great things happening in
our schools!

The Pittsylvania County School Board
will conduct its next meeting on November 8, 2011,
here at the Administrative Offices in Chatham,
Virginia. The closed session will begin at 6:30 p.m.,
and the business meeting will start at 7:00 p.m. All
interested persons are invited to attend.

The next Principals’ and Supervisors’ meeting is
scheduled for Thursday, November 10, 2011, at 9:30
a.m. in the Boardroom at the School Board Office.
Agenda items should be submitted to Ms. Janet Hancock,
Clerk of the Board.

The Budget Calendar has been approved for the
2011-2012 school year. Public presentation of budget
priorities may be presented to the School Board on
November 8, 2011, and again on December 13, 2011.
Other dates and times relative to the budget process
are to follow. Now is the time to begin reviewing new
initiatives and submitting them to your supervisor.
The School Board has adopted a process that can be
outlined by your immediate supervisor. On behalf of
the Pittsylvania County School Board, may I say thanks
for your continued involvement in the budget process.

November 14-18, 2011, is School Psychology Awareness
Week. This year’s theme, Every Link Matters …
Make a Connection, helps our students and
schools focus on creating positive connections within
the school community, their academics and their lives.
The program involves a series of resources and
activities that school psychologists can use to reach
out to school staff, students and parents to help
students feel connected, supported and ready to
achieve their individual goals. Pittsylvania County
Schools and the Virginia Department of Education is
pleased to join the National Association of School
Psychologists in celebrating the contributions that
school psychologists make to our collaborative work as
professional educators.

American Education Week (AEW) is scheduled for
November 13-19, 2011. This week, observed since 1921,
spotlights the importance of providing every child in
America with a quality public education from
kindergarten through college and the need for everyone
to do his or her part in making public schools great.
The celebration highlights the importance of bringing
together educators, parents, students and communities
in a unified effort to build great public schools and
educate children ready to compete in the 21st Century
workplace. The calendar of events includes the
following: